Israel's vaunted tanks are succumbing to Hezbollah's powerful missiles

AP ^ | Aug. 4, 2006 | Benjamin Harvey

[robert jones]

JERUSALEM – Hezbollah's sophisticated anti-tank missiles are perhaps the guerrilla group's deadliest weapon in Lebanon fighting, with their ability to pierce Israel's most advanced tanks.

Experts say this is further evidence that Israel is facing a well-equipped army in this war, not a ragtag militia.

Hezbollah has fired Russian-made Metis-M anti-tank missiles and owns European-made Milan missiles, the army confirmed on Friday.

In the last two days alone, these missiles have killed seven soldiers and damaged three Israeli-made Merkava tanks – mountains of steel that are vaunted as symbols of Israel's military might, the army said. Israeli media say most of the 44 soldiers killed in four weeks of fighting were hit by anti-tank missiles.

[GeronL]

I just mailed the hezzies a couple of little messages. Someone should start emailing them viruses.

Not that I would condone that sort of thing =O)

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

The Merkava is a very good tank, but it's roughly equivalent with a M60A3. Good, but not a world beater. The M1A2 and British Challenger are the best tanks in the world.

[SauronOfMordor]

I agree with you on the future of UAVs and bots (but I prefer to call the latter "Terminators" )

The military has been sponsoring design competitions for robots that can independently maneuver in rough terrain. The next step is to arm them, have them be able to signal back when they see something "interesting", and allow a human to give the "shoot" order.

In quantity, Terminator bots ban be made cheaply (take , and can swarm an enemy. Something to think about when much of our manufacturing capability has been outsourced to China...

For an example of what's coming: iRobot's R-Gator: Autonomous Unmanned Ground Vehicle

[strange1]

that Israel is facing a well-equipped army

oh do tell, who do you suppose is supplying them?

[DB]

I understand we've lost a number of M1 tanks in Iraq to Russian hand held antitank weapons. In modern warfare I really don't think I'd want to be in one.

[river rat]

The AP (Arab Press) sounds absolutely delighted the Israeli tankers are being killed...

Semper Fi

[frankjr]

"I think robots and UAVs are the future of warfare..."

[elcid1970]

"AP = Arab Press"

Love it! Only here's an idea: if the hezziemuzzies are hiding behind women and children, then the Israelis should place every AP reporter they can round up, in front of their Merkava tanks.

Think of it: the hezziemuzzies would be flummoxed ("Do not shoot them! Those are our friends!!")

[RoadTest]

The article is slathered with anti-semitic prejudice, rejoicing that the Hezbollah army is a match for the Israeli army.

[YOUGOTIT]

Damaged three tanks? Not a signigicent number at all. If that is all they have done then the anti tank missiles are duds.

BUT the MSM (AP) is really trying to help the terrorist so they must say the terrorist are winning.

[stuartcr]

Wouldn't catch me in a tank...one minute you're cruising along, blowing up stuff, then poof, molten metal and shards bouncing around inside. They're good for getting behind though.

[alloysteel]

Wars, or even battles, are not won or lost on the exercise of only one of the tools in the arsenal.

Tanks DO have vulnerabilities, true, and when one is taken out, it is a spectacular show, a great wounded beast bleeding and dying out there for all to see. But the Israelis have not been DENIED the use of this very valuable asset, only that its application must be adjusted to fit the circumstances. The last thing I would ever claim to be is an armchair general, pontificating on things I know little about. That is why there are War Colleges and War Rooms.

A few tanks were lost. Their function shall have to be replaced somehow. But with the pluck and determination the Israelis have shown up to now, the damage to their battle capabilities will be compensated for, and they shall continue to press the attack. The Hezbollah irregulars have suffered much more grievous damage, far more than they yet admit.

[mware]

Does Israel have Abraham (sp) tanks???

[jimtorr]

.........Israel is facing a well-equipped army in this war, not a ragtag militia.

If this were the case, then Israel would have all the justification it needed to increase the intensity of the campaign through-out Lebanon. A nation cannot claim innocence in an armed conflict when there is a "well-equipped army" on it's soil.

Of course, AP does not really believe what this story says, this is just another way to belittle Israel.

[RoadTest]

Was there anything in that article about not being penetrated by missiles such as the ones the Hezbollah are using? I scanned it quickly and didn't see anything.

[leadpenny]

This is not really directed at you, rr, but why does the tired refrain about media bias always seem to come up? Everyone has a bias and the media is what it is. What's the alternative?

I believe there should be a rule on FR that states when anyone claims bias they must also offer a re-write of the article in question with the facts given.

Again, not trying to get a fight started.

[RoadTest]

I meant this article abut the American Abrams tank:
"U.S. M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank. Nothing can compete with it."

I think we're not worried about competition but rather penetration.

[JennysCool]

This is the sort of article that serves as cheerleading for the Hezbos. I can just picture it being clipped and shared up and down the line: "See! We're winning! I told you we were!"

Shameless propaganda for the terrorists the media is in bed with.

[tomzz]

Solutions to this problem exist now, Israel has simply avoided the expense and does not have them. Other than that, tanks are not appropriate for the kind of fighting the IDF is encountering now.

[Common Tator]

but why does the tired refrain about media bias always seem to come up

An unbiased verson of this story

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If one takes all the bias out there is nothing left.